OPENING THE LID ON ET LØFTE EVENTS

So I'm often dishing out wedding and event planning goodness on this blog and rarely share anything about ET LØFTE EVENTS specifically. So This Planner thought, why not give you a deeper look into who ET LØFTE EVENTS is?  After all, it's not just about what a wedding and event planning company creates but also who the key players are behind the name and their approach. Every Planner is different, each totally fabulous in their own way with clientele so vastly different from one another.  In order to have a successful wedding or event, you have to be working with a Planner who fits your style and with whom you're comfortable. 'Cause you'll be with that Planner for a looooong time!

So open the box, take a peek inside and enjoy your insight into yours truly at ET LØFTE EVENTS!

All Photos by Matthew Kozovski Photography

'ET LØFTE EVENTS' is a weird company name. What made you choose it?

At first glance, the company name may seem a bit off the beaten path for a planning company, especially one that plans weddings. And that's exactly why I chose it. It's so completely different from any name I've encountered in my field which really stands for what I try to achieve with every wedding and event I plan. The name doesn't merely say that I think outside of the box, the name shows it. ET LØFTE also means "a promise' in Danish and that too stands for something. I'm delivering on a promise to do my very best to create a unique, personalized experience for my clients and their guests whether it's a few small details or one grand one.
 

What's ET LØFTE EVENTS' style?
My approach to planning is a blend of laid-back, edgy, creative and fun with meticulousness and a touch of tough-love. I love it when my clients have fun with planning their wedding and get as excited as I am about their plans. That's what it's really all about. I really do want my clients to enjoy the planning process and be stress free but I'm also not a push-over. I don't sugar coat things - I'm blunt and I'll tell it like it is. I feel that's the only way to combine the 'dream' aspect of a wedding or event with reality. And so my clients and I have a lot of laughs and a general good time throughout the planning process and at the same time I'm not afraid to exercise tough love if needed so that my clients get the wedding or event they've envisioned. 

You're Melissa Nowakowski, Creative Director and Principal Planner... Are you Polish?
Ummmm....no. I'm actually Italian despite the pasty white skin tone and the blazing red hair. My husband is not Polish either despite his surname. He's Filipino. His father isn't Polish either. He's Danish. It's a loooong story. The great thing about personally combining two opposites in culture (Asian and European) is that I really know what it means to embrace and incorporate traditions and beliefs from each culture in life. This really helps me in appreciating the viewpoints of those wedding clients with contrasting cultures and to help them view their cultural difference as a beautiful thing to be celebrated.


Were you always a wedding and event planner?
Gosh no. In my lifetime I've done everything from Theatre to Marketing and PR. Somewhere along the lines I fell into event planning and then wedding planning. In University I studied Musical Theatre and English (my clients still have a hard time picturing me tap dancing).  Funny enough, everything I've done career-wise has had a creative element to it -- whether it was performing in a Musical to creating a launch for a well-known author.

Are wedding planning and event planning your only interests?
While planning weddings and events do keep me quite busy, I do have a life outside of my career. Aside from having a husband and two boys ages one and three years I also have a huge passion for Musical Theatre (see above) and Martial Arts. If I'm not running after my boys (all of them) or kicking some butt (literally), I'm belting out a tune from 'Rent' or 'Wicked' or whatever. My guilty pleasures? Reading tabloids and watching Jersey Shore (I can't believe I'm admitting that actually...)



What is your ideal client?
My ideal client has an open mind. Period. For me, when I'm meeting a client or clients, it's not how glamourously beautiful or how off-beat and funky the wedding or event will be, it's about how open-minded the client is to creativity.

Do you follow the latest trends?
I'm aware of the latest trends in planning but I do my best to not put them into practice. So I guess in a way I don't. I can't focus my energy on creating one of a kind events or weddings if I'm utilizing a concept or design that's been done a million times over.


What is the greatest compliment you've ever received from a client?
I've been very blessed to have uber amazing clients in my career as a wedding planner and event planner, each etching a wonderful memory in my mind. And their compliments are not only flattering and appreciated, but have always spurred me to continue to do great work. I think the two that stick out in my mind specifically though are the celebration client who called me "the Jillian Michaels of event planning" and the wedding clients who said in their speech "you're organized enough to run a miliatry campaign, let alone a wedding". Those still make me giggle to this day.


What is the biggest piece of advice you can offer someone planning a wedding or event?
Don't worry so much about one-upping that other wedding or event you attended. Concentrate your efforts on making your wedding or event personalized to YOU. That is what is going to make your celebration unique in the end, not a random bunch of bells and whistles. I always say that you can have an flying elephant soar across the room dropping crystals from a monogramed sachtel... but if that flying elephant means little to you other than a "wow" factor, it'll mean little to your guests too.  

Wanna know more? Feel free to hit up this post with a comment or question! I tend to be open book to a fault ;)